China and Russia say cross-border habitat unique to Siberian tigers and Far East leopards will be protected under a joint pact.
The agreement signed Thursday in Moscow calls for creation of a nature reserve straddling Russia and China's shared border, especially around the Songhua River, where pollution needs to be reduced, Xinhua, China's state-run news agency reported Friday.

Chinese authorities have closed a factory and detained a manager and seven others following a chemical spill on a tributary to the Songhua River, which was poisoned by a huge benzene spill late last year.

BEIJING (Reuters) - The death toll from an explosion at a
chemical plant in eastern China has risen to 22 but more than
7,000 people evacuated after the blast have now gone home,
Xinhua news agency said on Saturday.

BEIJING (Reuters) - China is to spend more than $1 billion
to clean up a river where a toxic spill last year cut off water
for millions, state media said on Thursday, as auditors
revealed that past funds for clean-up campaigns had been
misused.

By Lindsay Beck BEIJING (Reuters) - Dozens of Chinese chemical plants pose
safety hazards, China's environment chief said on Tuesday, just
months after an explosion at one such plant poisoned a river
that was a source of drinking water for millions.

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